Hyazinth / Hyacinth

Born 30th July 1893 on the family estate of Grosstein in Upper Silesia. His unusual Christian name had been bestowed on the first born son of each generation for over 700 years. He attended the Hauptkadettenanstalt at Gross Lichterfelde in Berlin and in 1912, as Leutnant joined the socially exclusive Regiment Garde du Corps. During WW I Graf strachwitz then an Oberleutnant was captured on a long-range reconnaissance patrol, he remained a prisoner despite numerous escape attempts until the Armistice.

He left the Army to look after the family estate. During the 30’s he took part in exercises with the Silesian Reiterregiment and the Thuringian Panzeregiment.

He was awarded the Knights Cross 25th August 1941 whilst commanding I./Pz Rgt 2, and became 144th soldier to be awarded the Eichenlaub on November 13 1942.

With effect January 1943 Oberst d.R Strachwitz commanded Pz.Rgt GD. “Der Panzergraf” (armoured Count) as he was known led his Regiment from the front often far ahead of the main body through the counterattack at Kharkov (earning the "swords" to his Knights Cross on the 28th March 1943), Operation Citadel and the retreat to the Dneiper.

He left GD in November 1943 on the official grounds of ill health but it rumoured differences between Strachwitz and the equally strong willed divisional commander Hornlein probably accounted for his leaving.

He was recalled to service in the New Year of 1944 becoming a Generalmajor d.R on April 1st and receiving the "diamonds" on April 15th while commanding a battle group on the Narva front.

During late August 1944 an attempt to reopen a land link to Heeresgruppe Nord in Courland Battle group Strachwitz accomplished the nearly impossible feat of capturing the city of Tukkum in Latvia with only 10 tanks!

Injured for the 14th time during a front-line inspection in a car crash, little hope was held out for his recovery. With his unquonquerable will power the count was soon back on his feet, promoted to Generalleutnant on January 1st 1945 Strachwitz raised Panzerjagdverbande (mini-hybrid panzer divisions) in the defence of his Silesian homeland before making his way into American activity in May 1945. When Strachwitz was released, his estates had been confiscated by the Soviets and his wife and younger son were dead. His wife Alda was killed in a road accident by an American Jeep in May 1946 and His youngest son lost a leg during the war and was killed in the last days of the fighting.

He accepted an invitation from the Syrians to organise their army and agriculture but the government that had hired him was shortly overthrown by a coup. The new government ordered his arrest, but he managed to escape with his new wife. He returned to Germany in 1951 and founded the "Upper Silesian Relief Organisation". He remarried and had 2 boys and 2 daughters from that marriage. Another boy from the first marriage survived the war. He died on April 25, 1968.